Now this is not something that I am proud of, but yes, I am a smoker. And as all smokers in India go, we have this dirty habit of throwing smoking related garbage right next to the shop we buy our cigarettes from.
Step 1, buy the cigarette packet. Step 2, remove the plastic wrapping and throw it on the ground. Step 3, remove the crimp of the shiny paper inside and throw it on the ground. Step 4, start smoking. Step 5, stub small bits of ash wherever your wrist is at that point in time. Step 6, at the end of the cigarette, throw it on the ground, stamp it there itself.
The above paragraph is standard modus operandi for almost all the smokers I know of.
That being said, being married to somebody who is a little more socially conscious of her actions, and who takes care to ensure that she does not add to the already littered streets of Indian cities has changed me a lot.
Today, steps 2 and 3 involve looking for the closest trash can near the shop and throwing the paper there. Steps 4, 5 and 6 involve actually standing near the trash can and smoking so that I can dispose of the ash as close to the trash can as possible. Yes, most of the trash cans stink, but this again ensures that I don’t spend too much time smoking the cigarette. Benefits in more than one way, right 😀
The fact that I have a 2 yr old daughter as well makes me all the more aware of how I dispose of my garbage nowadays. Both my wife and me have taught her that all garbage needs to be thrown only in trash cans. Both of us believe that a cleaner and more aware child makes for a more cleaner India tomorrow.
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I am sharing what ‘<strong>I Saw and I Learnt</strong>’ at <a title=”The Best Community of Indian Bloggers” href=”http://www.blogadda.com” target=”_blank”>BlogAdda.com</a> in association with <a title=”Do Right! ” href=”http://www.doright.in” target=”_blank”>DoRight.in</a>
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This post won a INR 500 voucher as it was one of the first twenty posts for this particular competition.
Mahabore's Mumblings 
Rather nicely put… liked the way you began by a step-wise explanation of an action that is incorrect. Loved the idea.
Arvind Passey
http://www.passey.info
@Arvind, thank you, typically I have found that this approach helps the audience relate to what is actually being told 🙂
😀 have not this way
@Jagdish, try it, it might just work 🙂
Not just smokers, most of us in India treat our country as a giant trash can. It’s good you and your wife make it a point to make use of trash cans and have taught your kid to do so as well.
@Proactive Indian, thanks for the kind comments, do keep coming back to the blog for more such posts.
The most novel and candid post. One of my favourites among the lot. Luck for the competition! 🙂
@Sakshi, thanks for the kind compliments, and thanks for the best wishes for the competition as well. Keep coming back to the blog for more such posts.
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